In order to repair an inquinal or femoral heria laparoscopically, a retroperitoneal space is firt formed by the injection of carbon dioxide gas through a Veress needle positioned in the supbrapubic region. Thereafter, the peritoneum is swept from the posterior abdmoninal wall and a laparoscope is inserted into the retroperitoneal space. A mesh prosthesis is then introduced into the space through an abdominal trocar having a diameter of 5 mm to 10 mm; the mesh is wound in a radially overlappling fashion and pushed through the trocar by the surgeon. As the mesh emerges from the trocar into the operative space, the surgeon grasps the mesh with an appropriate grasper tool and thereafter unwinds the mesh and positions it to overlay the pelvis. The mesh is then sutured or fastened to the posterior abdominal wall which reinforces the wall at the site of the herination.
The unwinding of the mesh prosthesis after introduction into the operative space and the subsequent positioning of the mesh requires the manipulation of several grasping tools simultaneously and consumes a substantial amount of time thereby increasing the surgical risk involved. In addition, the suturing and fastening of the mesh intermittently disturbs the positioning of the mesh overlay thereby reqiring continued use of multiple grasping instruments which again delays the suturing or fastening of the mesh and increases the time of the operation.